Cruise in Luxury With Adventures By Disney and AmaWaterways on a Handful of River Routes

Courtesy AmaWaterways

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Adventures By Disney now offers European river cruises in addition to their popular tours and ocean sailings.

ByPat Doherty on April 24, 2019

With AmaWaterways, a leader in luxury river cruises, Disney has created exclusive travel experiences for families seeking quality service and vacation fun. In addition, several adult-only sailings are offered, with themes like Food & Wine and Oktoberfest.

Families appreciate the convenience of visiting several destinations on a planned itinerary with no need to change hotels. The thrill of waking up in a new city each day with a choice of excursions keeps the trip fresh and engaging. With a variety of experiences at each destination, everyone from parents to teens to young children can enjoy activities that meet their needs and interests. Knowledgeable Adventure Guides and local experts enhance the experience with stories about the people and culture of each city.

Amenities like nightly onboard entertainment, Wi-Fi, kids’ activities, and special dinners make vacation planning easy. Budgeting is simple with gratuities, local wine, beer, and soft drinks at meals included, along with a range of price levels for deluxe outside staterooms.

The Rhine, Seine, and Danube are among Europe’s most popular rivers with such destinations as France, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. The partnership with AmaWaterways ensures quality in service, staterooms, lounge areas, food, and amenities.

The Seine River cruise is new for 2019, bringing Adventures by Disney cruises to a total of 21. In 2020, a Rhone River cruise will be added, with four family departures and two adult-exclusive trips.

Rhone River Cruises

This 8-day, 7-night cruise begins at Lyon’s Saint-Exupery Airport where an Adventures By Disney representative will arrange transportation to the ship. A welcome dinner begins the Rhone River adventure and it continues the next day with a walking, biking, or coach tour of the historic city of Lyon. The next stop at Tournon includes an optional hike to the Chapel Hermitage Paul Jaboulet Aine for panoramic views of the Rhone Valley, a visit to a winery, or a morning at a goat farm to learn about cheese-making. In the afternoon, a steam train and rail bike adventure is a unique way to explore the Gorges du Doux.

In Avignon, kayak under the 2,000-year-old Roman Aqueduct or walk across a bridge to visit the museum that highlights this ancient architectural achievement. Food tours and winery visits are optional in the afternoon. An evening bike ride along the bank of the Rhone is an after-dinner option. Explore the Luberon Valley in central Provence, taste wines, or participate in a painting activity. Visit Arles where Vincent van Gogh painted his most celebrated works or see the remains of ancient Roman structures. Truffle fans might want to learn how the “black gold” is found on a hunt with a trained truffle dog.

The first Adventures by Disney Rhone River cruise will depart May 14, 2020. Other dates include May 28, June 11, and July 9, 2020. Two adult-exclusive sailings will take place on September 17 and October 1, 2020.

Courtesy AmaWaterways

Danube River Cruises

Eight destinations in four countries are featured on this 8-day, 7-night cruise starting in Budapest, Hungary and continuing to Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Melk, and Linz in Austria; Passau and Vilshofen in Germany, where the cruise ends with a transfer to Munich Airport. Explore Budapest with options to visit an equestrian park, learn to cook Hungarian goulash, or sample local foods on a walking tour. On to Bratislava with its historic streets and Baroque palace.

In Vienna, a motor coach tour of the city features its architecture and history, and guests can visit Schonbrunn Palace for a marionette show and strudel-making demonstration after the palace tour. Bike rides, hikes, salt mine tour, wine tasting, a concert, and visits to the places made famous by the film The Sound of Music, are among options in Austria. End the evening with a sing-along of tunes from the movie.

Four family cruise dates are set for June/July 2019 and four in June/July 2020. Adult-exclusive Oktoberfest departures are set for September 27, 2019 and September 26, 2020, just in time for the annual Bavarian celebration that will include beer tastings and traditional foods.

Christmas markets are the focus of December Danube River family cruises, a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday spirit with the decorations, music, handmade crafts, and traditional foods of the European street fairs. Sailing dates are December 15, 2019, December 22, 2019, and December 19, 2020.

Courtesy AmaWaterways

Seine River Cruises

The 8-day, 7-night cruise begins in Paris for the journey through the towns and cities of France. At Giverny, guests can choose to walk, bike, or ride to a private tour of the gardens that inspired French impressionist painter Claude Monet. A visit to Omaha Beach in Normandy and a visit to the American Cemetery recall the brave American soldiers who landed on D-Day in World War II.

Onboard experiences include a lesson on making macarons, the popular French confection, and a tasting of French cheeses. Hiking and biking trails are there for those who want a more active afternoon. In Conflans, guests can visit Chateau Malmaison, once home to Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte, or tour the commune whose residents included artists Cezanne, Pissarro, and Van Gogh. The graves of both Vincent and Theo van Gogh are in a cemetery there.

The ship continues to Paris on an afternoon sail, or guests may take a motor coach for a different view on the trip. A farewell dinner ends the cruise in Paris. Family cruises depart on June 20 and August 6, 2019 as well as June 11, July 2, July 16, and August 6, 2020.

Adult-exclusive sailings will be October 1 and October 8, 2019. In 2020, adult cruises will be September 10 and October 8.

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Rhine River Cruises

This 8-day, 7-night cruise includes stops in Switzerland, France, Germany, and The Netherlands. Departing from Basel, guests will be greeted by a Swiss Cheese & Wine Reception and Captain’s Welcome before sailing to Strasbourg, France. Other destinations on the Rhine are Mannheim, Rudesheim, and Cologne in Germany. Before disembarking in Amsterdam, guests explore the city on a canal cruise and choice of tours. Eight dates are available in 2019 between mid-June and early-August. Five dates are set for 2020 departures.

Along the way, guests have opportunities to tour the Black Forest, attend a museum workshop, hike, zip line, explore small towns, attend concerts, tour medieval cities, and ride a gondola to a mountaintop above the Rhine. The thrilling journey through the Rhine Gorge is a highlight, as the ship passes 30 historic castles along the banks of the river.

The adult-exclusive Rhine River cruise is an all-inclusive culinary adventure with visits to famous breweries, wineries, and pubs along with fine dining and cooking demonstrations. In 2019, sailing dates are September 30 and October 14. In 2020, cruises depart on September 6, September 20, and October 4.